Stepping Stones to Sustainability – Improve the sustainability of your real estate in 5 steps
Introduction
Sustainability is increasingly high on people’s agenda and has become a buzz word in business circles. Measurable performance and tangible outcomes are becoming the standard across all sectors.
But what does this really mean in practice, and how do you make your business more sustainable in a meaningful way?
We break sustainability challenges down into manageable chunks to help our clients meet their ESG aspirations and to help them to take action on climate change and social injustice through the way that they operate.
Our Stepping stones to sustainability series will walk you through practical services that we can offer to help you make efficient and effective changes, and ultimately build more purpose and impact into your organisation.
Improve the sustainability of your real estate in 5 steps
Property needs are changing as organisations adapt to hybrid working, and now is the perfect time to consider how adjustments to your real estate can reduce your environmental impact. Sustainable changes can have a beneficial impact not just on the environment but also on employee wellness and productivity. Working towards a completely sustainable premises can be daunting, but with small steps it is achievable.
Improve the sustainability of your real estate in 5 steps
#1 Plan for net zero
Consider measuring and reducing your carbon emissions by changing your energy supplier. You can also assess your energy consumption by taking simple steps such as looking at your lighting controls, installing smart meters or considering your travel policies.
#2 Reuse, don’t replace
Consider using recycled materials, recycling your water, looking at your fit-out and office configuration and how such a policy would change these aspects. You might also consider coming to a deal with your landlord regarding your end of lease term obligations to ensure the useable parts of your current fit-out can be reused.
#3 Assess space – Space planning and biophilic design
Ensure you are optimising the space you have and that no space is being wasted. Many offices have space that is underutilised but which still uses energy supplies.
Consider reconfiguring your office layout, or if you don’t need the space you have then consider sharing space, sub-letting or assigning the space you do not need. Consider your office design from an environmental perspective – for example increasing natural light (reducing energy usage) or using plants as dividers (instead of plastic screens).
#4 Implement A Monitoring Programme
Consider measuring the effect of your organisation’s occupation, for example, measuring your carbon emissions scopes 1-3, waste and water usage against science based targets and ensuring you have a realistic programme in place to lessen your environmental impact.
#5 Align Your Property, Employment and Corporate Strategy With Your Esg Agenda
CORPORATE STRATEGY WITH YOUR ESG AGENDA Ensure that these pillars link together seamlessly and the use and occupation of the property support all the other strategies.
Bates Wells is committed to achieving environmental change. Our Real Estate team can help you plan and implement sustainable changes to your property, to enable you to reduce your environmental impact and meet your net-zero targets. Get in touch to find out more.
Making a profit is core to all businesses but our goal is to combine this with a real social purpose. Our values are pivotal to us, they shape our decisions and the way we live and work.
We focus on positive social impact as much as we focus on being a successful law firm. Our top tier legal advice is coupled with a real desire to drive change and we were the first UK law firm to achieve B Corp certification, awarded to businesses that balance purpose and profit.
Today, our clients are diverse – from corporate household names, to public bodies, to start-ups. We’re also the firm of choice for thousands of charities and social enterprises. We continue to lead the market we helped to shape.
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